Students get along and feel better about themselves after they share their culture at camp.
Roles of Schools
Reproduction
Functionalists view schools as important in supporting technological development, material well being, and democracy
goal that all students leave school with knowledge to be productive citizens
Conflict theorists say schools have been structured to maintain the power and dominance of individuals and groups that benefit most from the current system.
researchers have found that reproduction is not an automatic process implemented with systematic precision
Reconstruction
Re-constructionist educators believe that all students can learn at a high level regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status, and they should not be tracked into courses based on these factors
Social justice, human rights, human dignity, and equity are critical values that guide the work of reconstruction
Purposes of Schools (Sasha)
-There are debates pertaining to what the MAIN purpose for school is. Should school make us knowledgeable citizens who are able to adapt to change? Or should it solely prepare us to contribute to the economy/workforce? Also, many feel that schools do not adequately provide students with the skills needed in order to find a job after graduation. Hidden curriculum.
- School boards, educators, parents, communities, etc. all have different ideas about the purpose of school and sometimes there can be conflict between groups when there is discrepancy between beliefs
- Through reports, discussions and debates among groups regarding education, ideas are continually refined and redefined
- Different purposes of school include: citizenship, workforce realities, academic achievement, social development, and cultural transmission
Citizenship (Sasha)
- One purpose of school is to produce good citizens
- Some schools, especially elementary levels, give students grade or rating based on their citizenship and participation within a classroom
- Citizenship is studied within social studies courses
- The National Council for Social Studies has a standard on civic ideals and practices
- A Hidden Curriculum within a school includes enforcing ideals of patriotism and loyalty to the U.S.
- In some situations students will be taught about civic values, yet not encouraged to discuss inequalities within society
- Preparation for citizenship must take place over a long period of time, and can not be instilled within just one course
Workforce Realities (Sasha)
- There have been complaints over the past 20 years about the quality of the workforce
- Some employers believe schools have not prepared students well enough in order to succeed in the workforce and the economy
- Business owners desire those who are punctual and have a strong work ethic
- Many students that are hired do not have all of the necessary skills to succeed in different jobs
- Most high schools prepare students to go to college or to get a job shortly after graduation, however there are some vocational schools dedicated to more particular areas of work
- Magnet schools have also been created with basic purposes for preparation in art, health fields, computing and service areas.
- Many debate the real purpose of schools and it has been proposed that instead of being taught to upkeep the economy or to help students learn a trade, that it should be about preparing students to think, adjust to change, and be active participants in their life's work
Academic Achievement
(Virginia)
-The main point of testing students is to make sure everyone is at grade level.
Low income, female, and students of color are all expected to meet the high standards of learning that (historically) have been expected of white middle-class males.
-Most school districts base their reputations on how well their students perform on standardized tests and how many get into colleges.
Sometimes other countries are compared to the U.S. through international testing
If our scores are below another country, people demand change (parents)
Leads to "back-to-basics" focus on core subject areas; development of self-esteem and leisure activities are seen as a waste of the district's money.
-Academic achievement focuses on meeting the standards of the core academic areas, the arts, health, and physical education
Because of this, many schools have changed their curricula to be based around the standards
Also, test makers have been revising their tests to make them reflect these changes in standards
Social Development (Jaime)
-Teachers have developed certain rules within the classroom - the schools reinforce good behaviors. Students are also able to interact with students of different backgrounds, contributing to each students social development.
not provided as a class directly by the school, but rules are reinforced by teachers and other professionals in schools
students are taught what is right and wrong about interaction with students different than they are
group activities allow students to interact with children that have different backgrounds in race, ethnic groups and religion
currently teachers are incorporating networking to students from other countries by internet in their classrooms
students learn about social development in school by interacting with students of a different background and by learning the rules of the classroom
Cultural Transmission (Jaime)
-Focuses more on dominant culture in the hidden curriculum; sometimes students and parents who are not included in the dominant culture curriculum feel as though they do not belong.
schools unknowingly emphasize the dominant culture in the society
students and their parents from different backgrounds see this more clearly and find it offensive and unwelcoming
many schools are trying to incorporate other cultures into their teaching curriculum
-trying to change national culture
-expand view and teaching lessons
Values in Schools (Cara)
-Kids in school are from all different backgrounds, they have different values and traditions. Should all students be taught the dominant culture, or should different cultures be integrated within the curriculum?
is there a general standard for culture that should be taught in public school? this question arises among many districts.
a common culture is hard to establish because the U.S. is so diverse.
school is usually the first place where children experience major cultural differences.
some people believe that schools should encourage differences and that children should learn the common heritage and adopt the culture that they relate to.
multicultural theorists and others hold another perspective. they argue that student diversity enriches a community and that different values should be integrated within the school, rather than each child sticking to their own values.
Whose Values?
-The schools' curriculum is based on the dominant culture. Parents will sometimes become upset if the teachings contradict the beliefs they hold within the family. Parents should communicate with the school/teachers in order to find a happy medium.
Parents' choice of schools for their children depends on their values
Curriculum based on current/mainstream ideological, political, and economic values of society
In U.S. society individualism and strong work ethic-->hard work will make you successful
Some parents feel there is lack of religion in schools, others feel there is too much
Some parents believe that the ideals taught in school contradict their personal values they wish their children to have (Individuality, competition)
Teachers need to be aware of their own values in order to represent school and communicate with parents
Multicultural Education
-Diversity, equality, and social justice should always be present in schools. For example, women's history is rarely discussed outside of of women's history month. This should be integrated throughout the year.
diversity, equality, and social justice all make up multicultural education
expects all teachers to view all aspects of education according to multicultural ideas
Multicultural education: strategy that refers to content which should include:
human relations (study of ethnic, race, gender, and other groups)
development of critical thinking skills
examination of issues such as racism, power, and discrimination
value diversity, democracy, and equity in classrooms
all teaching should be culturally relevant
introducing it simply once a year (ex. Black History Month) is not enough
Undergirding Tenets
People who have fought for an education equal to the education of males in the dominant culture:
women
low-income people
people of oppressed religious and ethnic groups
1954 - Brown vs. Board of Education
illegal separate-but-equal education for black and white students
-Different kids need different strategies in order to reach that certain level of achievement.
Justice is related to fairness, moral rightness, and equity
social justice focuses on how we help others in the community are not as well off
it is essential in student-teacher relationships
requires all students in all schools have equal acces to a high-quality education
If that is true, then:
How is it fair for students to attend broken down schools while others are in brand new buildings?
How is it fair for wealthier students to have better qualified teachers?
How is it fair that wealthier students are exposed to a more intellectually challenging curriculum?
How is it fair that students of color, disabilities, or english learners are pulled out and isolated in segregated classes?
A theory of social justice suggests that school systems give those students with the fewest advantages the most advantages in their education and schooling to begin to ensure an equal and fair playing field. But usually it is the opposite.
*Resources for education are not shared equally across groups
Equality(Kristin)
-White is the dominant culture within society right now. Access to a similar educations are offered, but it is not guaranteed that everyone will be able to earn it - there are sometimes obstacles in the way.
Meritocracy: a system based on the belief that individuals' achievements are based on twir own personal merits and hard work
Poverty and discrimination are obstacles to overcome
whites have the advantage of the dominant culture, family income to support college education, decent housing, health care, and good schooling
resources could be fairly distributed if workers received decent wage or equal opportunities
civil rights laws and reduction of discriminatory practice contributes to fairness and justice in the society
Equal educational opportunity
access to similar education for all students regardless of their cultural background or family circumstances
not automatically guaranteed
2. Equality of results
schools expected to provide all students with opportunity to learn skills outlined in national standards
US expected to achieve higher scores on international tests
No Child Left Behind Act requires schools to show evidence that all students are performing academically at grade level
Culturally Relevant Teaching (Emma)
Teachers cannot make generalizations; they must be thoughtful about the role that culture plays in learning.
There are differences between ethnic and cultural groups, obviously, but there are even differences among members within the same group (socioeconomic status, religion, etc).
Culturally relevant teaching requires the teacher to listen and observe students and parents, and also assess students' performances in order to develop effective teaching strategies.
Building on Cultural Context (Emma)
Teachers should expose students to the relationship between their experiences/backgrounds and they world they live in.
An effective teacher teaches the same concept by explaining it in different ways.
Use multiple representations/books/word problems/films/etc
Teachers should know what kind of knowledge is valued in the student' cultures.
Communication is key in understanding cultural differences.
Sometimes cultural ques between the teacher and student may differ. People usually think the way they communicate with their culture is normal, however, a person from another culture may think the same thing, resulting in a major miscommunication.
Students are sometimes punished because teachers do not realize they are misreading cultural ques. When this occurs, there are some steps a teacher will need to take in order to improve cross-cultural communication.
Acknowledge miscommunication.
As a teacher, admit that you may be part of the problem.
Develop alternative means of communicating and understanding messages from other cultures.
One approach: teach students the communication patterns of dominant society. Students should not feel as though their cultural communication patterns are not valued, they should use their knowledge of the communications patterns of the dominant society as their advantage --- they become bicultural.
Teachers also need to learn to function effectively in more than one culture, too.
Centering the Cultures of Students (Briana)
the curriculum of students should reflect diversity and equality
the interest in learning of students would be increased if their cultures are valued within the text
parents and communities have become so bothered by the lack of cultural education and respect, that schools promoting a certain group have become established. Some schools are based on the cultures, beliefs, behaviors, and values of the following groups:
Afrocentric
American Indian
Jewish
Islamic
Catholic
Black Muslim
Lutheran
Amish
single-sex
these schools are not multicultural in the sense that they may reject a person by not meeting the criteria of character
no matter what kind of population attends the school, the curriculum should be multicultural because for the students that are not get the opportunity to go out and experience diversity first-hand, their education becomes their primary source for the understanding of diversity, social justice, and other related issues
Validating Student Voices (Briana)
voice: the right and opportunity to speak and be heard as an equal
often times, students do not have a voice in their classroom or much opportunity to use their voice
When given the chance, students may test their boundaries of allowed language and subjects to speak about. This causes impatience of teachers. However, the only way to develop the everyday language of students and their voice, the chance must be given and dealt with as it occurs.
improving the voice of a student:
class should no longer be an environment of a teacher lecturing and students merely listening
student must be able to exercise their minds by speaking in order to develop "listening skills and the validation of multiple perspectives, languages and dialects"
a classroom should allow students to speak, write, and express their thoughts through forms of art
for the best results of improving voice of students is to listen to every different kind of student (those of color, low-income, different genders, different races, etc.)
Challenges in Multicultural Classrooms(Makayla)
Many teachers have little to no background with ethnic or religious groups.
To achieve diversity, equality, and social justice these teachers will need to learn about and with these communities.
In some schools teachers do still face a fairly homogeneous student population, but even in these there are many different religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
To provide a well-rounded and balanced curriculum with these students, teachers need to work harder to bring different perspectives to presentations and discussions and will probably need to develop strategies for providing the students with direct exposure to diversity and issues of equality.
Gender-Sensitive Education(Makayla)
In the past many women were prepared for traditional female roles, i.e. house wife and mother rather than wage earner and head of household. The problem was that when the husbands passed away, women were at a significant disadvantage as the lacked the required skills and experience needed to be in a high-paying job. Over the last 25 years women have broken these patterns.
40% of graduates from medical, dental and law school are female. However, males are still not as likely as women to work in jobs that were traditionally female.
Only 33% of graduates in theology are female. Even though women are entering high-income jobs that used to be dominated by men, they still remain overrepresented at the other end of the income scale.
Schools have done a good job helping young women realize their potential, but unfortunately not all teachers are sensitive to gender differences that make a difference in learning. For ex. in some classrooms students are separated by gender, reinforcing the stereotypical gender roles.
If gender equality actually existed, females and males would be expected to participate at close to the same rates in all courses, sports and jobs. Here are some of today's realities.
Both enroll in science and math at the same rate, but girls are more likely to stop after Algebra II and less likely to take physics.
Girls are more likely to to be in data entry and word processing courses rather than computer courses.
Girls enroll in English at higher rates and boys are more likely to be in remedial English courses.
Girls are more likely to be in gifted classes, but they drop out of them at higher rates than boys.
Both are involved in advanced placement and honors courses at the same rate, except for physics.
Girls earn equal or higher grades in all subjects.
Males score higher on SAT and ACT tests used for college admission.
To promote gender equality females and males should be encouraged to be involved with things they are not, ex. girls with math, science and computer science and boys with fine arts, foreign language, advanced English and the humanities.
A gender sensitive education provides equality to boys and girls, but it does not mean they need to be treated the same; they learn differently. Cultural differences need to be acknowledged as well, as not all girls and boys learn the same way. Culturally relevant teaching is a good way that affirms student's gender and experiences in ways that promote learning for both males and females.
Teachers in gender-sensitive classrooms need to monitor the interactions between males and females and intervene when necessary, and when one group is performing lower than the other they need to change their strategies so they both perform at equal levels. This means drawing on multiple teaching strategies to reach this goal.
Education for Language Diversity
(Chris)
The numbers of english learners are growing
Learning a new language as well as adapting to a new culture can be difficult
The percentage of kids who are speaking a language other than English at home is growing
There are several solutions proposed
Bilingual education
Seperate classes for seperate language speakers
Others are some form of combination
The debate is ongoing in congress and state legislatures
No Child Left Behind calls for all students to be proficient in English
It normally takes five years for a student to become proficient in English when having to learn it
There are at least six approaches to teach normal academic content to those who have to learn English
Some strive to assimilate new students as early as possible
Some start teaching exclusively in spanish and offer english as a foreign language class while gradually teaching more and more classes in English
There are also programs for English speakers to learn a foreign language
Two-way immersion is a program where the class is split between English speakers and and speakers of another language in an effort to develop bilingualism in all students
Ultimately, these decisions come down to educators and parents
Teachers as Social Activists
educators are advocates for their own empowerment and for the students and other powerless groups- swagner228 Oct 25, 2009
Thinking Critically
educators who think critically ask questions about why inequalities exist in classrooms and schools
wonder about why girls are responding differently than boys to lessons
don't stop wondering, they explore and try alternatives
realize teaching equitably does not mean teaching everyone the same way
teaching equitably may mean helping students function effectively across multiple cultural styles
figure out ways to build on the diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences of students
able to challenge the philosophy and practices of the dominant society that are not supportive of equity, democracy, and social justice
open to alternative views
not limited by narrow parochialism
questions content for accuracy and biases, have multiple perspectives
seek explanations for educational meanings and consequences of race, class and gender- swagner228 Oct 25, 2009
Modeling Equity in the Classroom
caring and fairness are two qualities students praise when describing successful teachers
students know whether teachers view them as special incompetent or worthless
teacher perceptions sometimes based on a students personal characteristics
multicultural education's classrooms and schools will be models of democracy
teachers and instructional leaders confront their own biases and develop strategies for overcoming them
students learn to respect differences and to interact within and across ethnic and cultural groups
most teachers do not deliberately set out to discriminate against students
the key to ensuring that interactions with student are equitable is the ability to recognize one's own biases and make appropriate adjustments
educators must be able to admit they sometimes make mistakes- swagner228 Oct 25, 2009
Making Schools Democratic
democratic schools are ones in which students practice democracy by being active in their education
these schools encourage the exchange and exploration of ideas from multiple perspectives
teachers in democratic classrooms teach students to analyze real world ideas, problems and policies
students are involved in community issues, collecting and analyzing data, and often become involved in changes within the community
democratic schools reflect democratic structures and processes
these schools require students, teachers, parents and community members to be active in the educational process
all students have access to all programs
tracking, biased testing, and other practices that deny access to some students are eliminated
emphasis on grades, status, test scores and winning is replaced with an emphasis on cooperation and concern for the common good
democratic curriculum encourages multiple perspectives and voices, respects differences in viewpoints, does not limit information and study to the areas chosen by the members of the dominant group
includes discussions of inequities in society and challenges students and teachers to engage actively in eliminating them
some people believe that teachers should be all-knowing authorities
supporters of schooling as a route to social mobility expect competition to determine which students deserve the greatest rewards- swagner228 Oct 25, 2009
Chapter 4: Multicultural Perspectives on Education
Case Study
Roles of Schools
Reproduction
Reconstruction
Purposes of Schools (Sasha)
-There are debates pertaining to what the MAIN purpose for school is. Should school make us knowledgeable citizens who are able to adapt to change? Or should it solely prepare us to contribute to the economy/workforce? Also, many feel that schools do not adequately provide students with the skills needed in order to find a job after graduation. Hidden curriculum.- School boards, educators, parents, communities, etc. all have different ideas about the purpose of school and sometimes there can be conflict between groups when there is discrepancy between beliefs
- Through reports, discussions and debates among groups regarding education, ideas are continually refined and redefined
- Different purposes of school include: citizenship, workforce realities, academic achievement, social development, and cultural transmission
Citizenship (Sasha)
- One purpose of school is to produce good citizens- Some schools, especially elementary levels, give students grade or rating based on their citizenship and participation within a classroom
- Citizenship is studied within social studies courses
- The National Council for Social Studies has a standard on civic ideals and practices
- A Hidden Curriculum within a school includes enforcing ideals of patriotism and loyalty to the U.S.
- In some situations students will be taught about civic values, yet not encouraged to discuss inequalities within society
- Preparation for citizenship must take place over a long period of time, and can not be instilled within just one course
Workforce Realities (Sasha)
- There have been complaints over the past 20 years about the quality of the workforce- Some employers believe schools have not prepared students well enough in order to succeed in the workforce and the economy
- Business owners desire those who are punctual and have a strong work ethic
- Many students that are hired do not have all of the necessary skills to succeed in different jobs
- Most high schools prepare students to go to college or to get a job shortly after graduation, however there are some vocational schools dedicated to more particular areas of work
- Magnet schools have also been created with basic purposes for preparation in art, health fields, computing and service areas.
- Many debate the real purpose of schools and it has been proposed that instead of being taught to upkeep the economy or to help students learn a trade, that it should be about preparing students to think, adjust to change, and be active participants in their life's work
Academic Achievement
(Virginia)-The main point of testing students is to make sure everyone is at grade level.
- Low income, female, and students of color are all expected to meet the high standards of learning that (historically) have been expected of white middle-class males.
-Most school districts base their reputations on how well their students perform on standardized tests and how many get into colleges.- Sometimes other countries are compared to the U.S. through international testing
- If our scores are below another country, people demand change (parents)
- Leads to "back-to-basics" focus on core subject areas; development of self-esteem and leisure activities are seen as a waste of the district's money.
-Academic achievement focuses on meeting the standards of the core academic areas, the arts, health, and physical educationSocial Development (Jaime)
-Teachers have developed certain rules within the classroom - the schools reinforce good behaviors. Students are also able to interact with students of different backgrounds, contributing to each students social development.Cultural Transmission (Jaime)
-Focuses more on dominant culture in the hidden curriculum; sometimes students and parents who are not included in the dominant culture curriculum feel as though they do not belong.- schools unknowingly emphasize the dominant culture in the society
- students and their parents from different backgrounds see this more clearly and find it offensive and unwelcoming
- many schools are trying to incorporate other cultures into their teaching curriculum
-trying to change national culture-expand view and teaching lessons
Values in Schools (Cara)
-Kids in school are from all different backgrounds, they have different values and traditions. Should all students be taught the dominant culture, or should different cultures be integrated within the curriculum?Whose Values?
-The schools' curriculum is based on the dominant culture. Parents will sometimes become upset if the teachings contradict the beliefs they hold within the family. Parents should communicate with the school/teachers in order to find a happy medium.Multicultural Education
-Diversity, equality, and social justice should always be present in schools. For example, women's history is rarely discussed outside of of women's history month. This should be integrated throughout the year.Undergirding Tenets
- People who have fought for an education equal to the education of males in the dominant culture:
- women
- low-income people
- people of oppressed religious and ethnic groups
- 1954 - Brown vs. Board of Education
- illegal separate-but-equal education for black and white students
- 1960s - new curriculum content about:
- African Americans
- Latinos
- American Indians
- Asian Americans
- equity for women
- individuals with disabilities
- English language learners
- Foundation for multicultural education
- diversity is a national strength
- social justice
- equality
-Diversity
- Two views:
- diversity will strengthen the nation with promotion and recognition
- diversity will divide the nation and cause conflict
- Multiculturalists
- people should have the chance to learn about different cultures and interact on an equal basis
- people from diverse backgrounds should still be able to maintain their history, culture, and traditions
- general education requirements such as women's studies, ethnic, and global studies
- teachers must learn about diversity and incorporate it into their teachings
- teachers should represent different cultural groups - students can learn about and interact with other cultures
-Social Justice(Allie)
-Different kids need different strategies in order to reach that certain level of achievement.- Justice is related to fairness, moral rightness, and equity
- social justice focuses on how we help others in the community are not as well off
- it is essential in student-teacher relationships
- requires all students in all schools have equal acces to a high-quality education
If that is true, then:- How is it fair for students to attend broken down schools while others are in brand new buildings?
- How is it fair for wealthier students to have better qualified teachers?
- How is it fair that wealthier students are exposed to a more intellectually challenging curriculum?
- How is it fair that students of color, disabilities, or english learners are pulled out and isolated in segregated classes?
A theory of social justice suggests that school systems give those students with the fewest advantages the most advantages in their education and schooling to begin to ensure an equal and fair playing field. But usually it is the opposite.*Resources for education are not shared equally across groups
Equality (Kristin)
-White is the dominant culture within society right now. Access to a similar educations are offered, but it is not guaranteed that everyone will be able to earn it - there are sometimes obstacles in the way.- access to similar education for all students regardless of their cultural background or family circumstances
- not automatically guaranteed
2. Equality of resultsCulturally Relevant Teaching (Emma)
Building on Cultural Context (Emma)
Centering the Cultures of Students (Briana)
Validating Student Voices (Briana)
Challenges in Multicultural Classrooms(Makayla)
Gender-Sensitive Education(Makayla)
Education for Language Diversity
(Chris)Teachers as Social Activists
Thinking Critically
Modeling Equity in the Classroom
Making Schools Democratic
Teaching For Social Justice